Have you ever noticed that some jewellery seems to make your skin glow, while other pieces fall flat? The difference often comes down to your skin's undertone. Here's how to find yours, and which metals tend to flatter it.
Skin tone vs undertone
Your skin tone is the surface colour: fair, medium, olive or deep. Your undertone is the subtle hue underneath, and it stays the same even when you tan. Undertones are usually described as:
- Warm: golden, peachy or yellow hints.
- Cool: pink, red or bluish hints.
- Neutral: a mix of both, or neither strongly.
Three easy ways to find your undertone
1. The vein test
Look at the veins on the inside of your wrist in natural light. Greenish veins suggest warm undertones; blue or purple veins suggest cool undertones; a mix suggests neutral.
2. The white paper test
Hold a sheet of white paper next to your bare face in daylight. If your skin looks yellow or golden next to it, you're likely warm. Pink or rosy suggests cool. If it's hard to tell, you're probably neutral.
3. The jewellery test
Hold a gold piece and a silver piece against your skin, one at a time. Which one makes your skin look brighter and more even? That's usually your answer.
Which metals suit which undertone
- Warm undertones: yellow gold tends to glow beautifully against warm skin. Rose gold and warm stones like turquoise and tiger eye also work well.
- Cool undertones: silver, white gold and rhodium finishes often look crisp and bright. Pearls and clear stones are lovely too.
- Neutral undertones: lucky you. Gold, silver and rose gold all tend to work.
Can't decide? Choose pieces that come in both
Many styles are available in both gold and silver, so you can pick the finish that suits you best. The Stella Oval Pendant Necklace, Fleur Pearl Drop Earrings, Sculpted Tide Hoop Earrings and Polaris Heart Layered Necklace all come in both tones.
Rose gold sits between the two and flatters a wide range of undertones. The Honeycomb Prism Hoop Earrings come in rose gold or silver.
Why the rules are made to be broken
Undertone is a helpful starting point, not a rule. Plenty of people with cool undertones love gold, and plenty with warm undertones wear silver every day. Mixing metals is also more popular than ever, and it takes the pressure off choosing just one. See our guide on mixing gold and silver jewellery.
The best metal is the one you love seeing when you look in the mirror.
Buying for someone else?
If you're choosing a gift, look at what she already wears most. Her existing jewellery is the best clue to her preference, whatever her undertone. For more gift ideas, see our Christmas gift guide.